Thursday 7 November 2013

Tourist in Taiwan (2) Sun Moon Lake


Risk of the Day
Venomous snakes and giant poisonous bees.
Despite cycling and walking a fair amount today, no snakes spotted – but a gigantic bee jumped out of a bush and started chasing me on the path, going within centimetres of my face. Close one, Lue said – every so often the papers report deaths from them. One sting = hospital; two = emergency steroids; three = ITU.
Classification:     NAG (natural and act of God)
Control:                Almost full (3/4) – don’t be stupid and keep your eyes open, bees a bit trickier
Likelihood:          1
Impact:                 4
Score:                   4

Another of those hang-around-and-see-things-as-you-like days today – with Sun Moon Lake and two spectacular temples on the itinerary.
Unexpectedly included a cycle trek alongside the lake where cars can’t go (third best cycle lane in the world, it is said!); an almost vertical climb 600m climb to a pagoda which was shut for post-earthquake maintenance; all things Taoist and the most ostentatious (and, dare I say, vulgar) Buddhist temple in Taiwan; finished off with dinner - a light but spectacularly flavoursome five-courser at a vegetarian restaurant.

New Thing of the Day
The thought that humble little bumble bees can mutate into murdererous flying death balls the size of a small bird.

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